The Dream Has Become A Nightmare
by StarWarrior72
Summary: Since the Battle of Yavin, Luke dreams of his father often. Likewise, Vader has been dreaming of his unborn baby...
1. Chapter 1

Vader crossed sabers with his son again. They circled one another for a moment before Luke dove at his father's chest. Vader parried and they continued to clash for a few more moments. Then Vader managed to flip the lightsaber out of his son's hand. As the blue blade flew through the air it deactivated.

Luke reached out in the Force and drew his saber back to his hand. Vader deactivated his own lightsaber and held his right hand out to his son and they shook hands.

"Good job, Luke. You're really getting better." Vader smiled at his son.

Luke clipped his saber to his belt and smiled too. "Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me."

_I'm sure it does. I love you, my son. I wish that it you hadn't died. I would give anything to have you sitting on the sofa when I come home. I'm glad we can see each other in my dreams like this._ Seeing his son smiling at him, he thought, _Do you even know that you're dead? Do you believe that you live in the real galaxy and that I'm still a Jedi?_

Luke smiled at his father and put his saber back on his belt. It was these dreams that kept him going, sometimes. What his father taught him had saved his life on various occasions. He still missed his dad, of course, but being able to meet with him helped.

The dreams had started shortly after the battle of Yavin. In the first, he had been walking through a forest, tall trees on all sides. As he walked, he felt danger behind him and he started to run. He was running at full tilt farther and farther into the trees when something grabbed his arm.

He had spun in an effort to tear away from his captor and seen a beautiful woman holding his sleeve. Something about her had calmed him down instantly and he had asked her who she was.

The woman had smiled sadly at him, "I'm your mother, Luke."

"Mom?" Luke had been bewildered, but he had believed her.

"Yes."

"Why are you here?"

"There's someone else you should meet." With that, Padme had led Luke farther into the forest and into the clearing he and his father now trained in. At sight, Luke had instinctively known who the tall man with blue eyes was.

"Dad!" He had run to the older man and been embraced.

It had been among the happiest moments of his life, being in that clearing with his parents, but when his father had released him, his mother was gone. Anakin had seemed vaguely disappointed, but he had drawn his son into another hug.

Luke was snapped out of his reverie by a hug from his father in the clearing of tonight's dream.

As his father released him, Luke felt the real galaxy calling him. He struggled to remain in the dream long enough to say goodbye to his father.

"Tomorrow?" Anakin asked.

Luke gave his father a mock salute, "Tomorrow."

Vader re-entered the world of the waking in an uncharacteristically good mood.

His meetings with his son were always enjoyable. The boy could be cheeky at times, but he was generally a good son. After a particularly good training session, like today's, Vader would always be in a good mood until something came along and changed that. The change seemed to take less and less as his son grew harder to reach and the waking galaxy became more and more hectic with the increasing rebel threat.

A beep on the console of his meditation chamber and he forced himself to rejoin the galaxy in full.

"Yes, Admiral?"

"The Emperor requests contact. Immediately."

That was all it took to destroy his good mood. Vader resisted the urge to groan 'just five more minutes'. He was still half asleep and used to playing 'Anakin' for his son. Instead he stood and started to his communications chamber.

Kneeling, he activated the transmission plate, "What is thy bidding, my Master?"

"There is a great disturbance in the Force."

"I have felt it." Vader rolled his eyes, glad the Emperor couldn't see. This had been worth calling him about?

"We have a new enemy. The young rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt that he is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."

"How is that possible?" Vader thought of the young Jedi in his dreams, could this rebel be the same boy? But, no, that would be too perfect. The child in his dreams was just that, a dream.

"Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You know it to be true."

"He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him."_ But I could. I can protect him. I owe Padme at least that much. And if he is the boy from my dreams, then I owe him too._

"The Force is strong in him. The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi."

_You want me to kill my own son? _"If he could be turned, he would be a powerful ally."

"Yes, yes. He would be a great asset. Can it be done?"

"He will join us or die, Master."

The hologram of his master faded and Vader was left with his thoughts._ My own son. A real little boy I could take as my own. It's almost too good to be true. And he would be Padme's son too. Oh, it would be almost like getting a part of Padme back._

Luke woke up as his droid poked his side again.

"G'morning, Artoo," he mumbled as he sat up. He carefully untangled himself from the blanket he was tied in and wrapped it around his shoulders instead. "What do you need? I don't think it's even morning yet."

Artoo gave a mournful beep and swiveled his dome out in the direction of the forest.

Luke sighed and put a hand on Artoo's dome, "Do you pick up something out there?"

Artoo gave another long bleep.

"Ok, I'll keep an eye out for it."

Dagobah's rain drummed down on Luke's head and he pulled the blanket up so that he might stay a bit warmer. After staring out into the forest for a few minutes he closed his eyes and started thinking about his father and what he had taught him in their lesson.

The warm thoughts of his father's praise and help in the back of his mind slowly lulled him back to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Luke stepped off the lift and a grate slid closed over it. Vader was trying to scare him. He would not be scared. His friends were at stake. He had his training and his father's love on his side. For his father, his friends, the galaxy and himself he could win. He had to win.

Darth Vader's harsh breathing became suddenly apparent in the near-silence of the carbon freezing chamber.

In spite of himself, Luke jumped. He whirled.

Vader stared at the boy who had been brought into his trap. One hand held a blaster; the other was starting to inch towards his old lightsaber. For all appearances the boy was the one from his dreams._ Appearances can be deceiving_, he reminded himself and started towards the boy.

The boy certainly fought with the style Vader had been teaching his dream-son. However, in the few nights since they had last met he had learned some new tricks that Vader wasn't expecting. As such, the duel lasted much longer than it should have and Vader was unsure of his son's limits.

He was pushing his son far out onto a gantry when he decided that it was time to end the fight and speak to the boy. He twisted his saber in the same move he had used to disarm the boy in his dream and took off a little more than just his saber.

Vader felt sick as he watched his son screaming in agony as his hand arced away from him. What could he say to comfort the boy? How could he possibly make up for what he'd just done? In his horror, the words he had rehearsed started pouring out, unbidden.

"There is no escape, don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."

Luke looked up at his father from where he was crawling out onto a beam, trying to distance himself from Vader. "I'll never join you!"

"If you only knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."

Luke grabbed the sensor array at the end of the beam and swung his feet onto the surrounding rung. "He told me enough! He told me you killed him."

"No. I am your father."

"No. That's not true!" Luke screamed. His voice lowered to a very small whimper, "That's impossible!"

That scream of terror and pain was what it took to wake Vader from his horrified trance. "Search your feelings, Luke. You know it to be true."

"No!" Luke shouted, his body shaking wildly. "No!"

Vader reached out a hand to his son, waiting for the boy to take it and come back to him, "Luke. You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son. Come with me. It is the only way."

_Yes, come with me, my son. Come with me and our meetings in a forest clearing will be our reality. Join me as my son. I'll protect you. You can be happier with me that you could ever be with the Rebels. Just take my hand and all is forgiven._

Luke stared at his father, transfixed, for one more moment before his he fell. Vader stared in horror as the thin arms released the sensor array and he fell. He wanted to catch the boy, bring him back into his arms. He reached out, but he missed and his boy fell. Crying on the inside, he watched his son become a tiny speck deep in the reactor shaft, then disappeared.

As he fell, Luke twisted in the air. He could see the dark, fading dot that was Vader. For a moment he thought that Vader would leap after him, but the Dark Lord stayed where he was. The Dark Lord who claimed to be Luke's father.

Luke's body twisted again and he could see down the dark, seemingly endless, shaft._ That's a long way down._ He thought absently. He wasn't afraid. He had never been afraid of falling. Falling simply was not a frightening concept to him.

Looking down, he thought, _This is a long way to fall. Landing is going to hurt._ _Maybe I won't land. Maybe I'll just go on falling forever. Forever is a long time. That would be a very long way to fall. It would be almost like flying. I love flying. Like my father. He loved flying too. _

_It can't be true, can it? Vader can't really be my father, can he? I feel like he is somehow. What's he going to do about this? I could bear falling forever, but what if Vader caught me somehow? Could I deal with that? I'm not sure._

_I feel strange. This is like when I really manage to connect with the Force. It's odd. I'm not scared or angry. I just feel like none of it matters anymore. And now I feel like I'm turning._ His body rolled again and he saw that he was heading towards a vent in the wall. _I am turning. I wonder where this'll take me._

Luke flew into the tube and fell until he reached a flat spot in the pipe. He was just sitting up when the floor fell out from under him again. He fell through many more pipes and tubes until one of them finally dropped him into open air and onto a weather vane.

Luke looked down at the planet below him._ I'm not sure I'm ready to die anymore. I want Leia and Han to know what happened to me. I don't want to be alone._

He clung to the weather vane and felt it start to give. He tried to climb up, to get back into the pipe. It didn't work. He slipped and the weather vane caught his knees.

In that moment, the serenity he had felt when falling was gone. In his sudden terror, he started calling out to Obi-Wan, to Leia, to anyone he thought could help him.

Then the two spokes he had been hooked on broke and he was falling again. Falling too fast, unable to stop himself. After a split second that felt like an eternity, his legs caught the next spokes, which cut deep into the fragile skin of his under-knees. He tried to catch the higher part of the vane with his arms, but he missed and swung to hang upside down.

From his new vantage point he could see a ship coming, squinting, he recognised the _Millennium Falcon_. It eased under him and a hatch opened. Luke released the vane and fell onto the hull. A man he didn't know launched himself out to catch him.

As warm arms, albeit unfamiliar, latched around him, Luke closed his eyes and relaxed against the man's chest. In moments, he was out cold.


	3. Chapter 3

"Luke, Luke!"

Luke blinked and saw Leia bending over him, a look of concern on her face.

"What?" Luke asked groggily.

"Well, now that you're awake, he's gone. But when you were asleep… it was odd, Luke. You were projecting Vader in the room. And-and it looked like he was sitting on the edge of your bed. He was treating you like he loved you."

Luke shivered and sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees, "Sorry, Leia, I don't know how that happened." _I can't let her find out! If she knows she might reject me. Even if it wasn't conscious, I don't think she would trust me quite as much._

"That's all right, Luke. I'm sorry I woke you up. It was just too disturbing." Leia gently pushed her friend back into his pillow. "How do you feel?"

Luke reached up to bush the hair out of his eyes with his right hand. The action started subconsciously, but when he realized what he was doing, he was shocked to see that he actually did have a right hand._ Was it all a bad dream? Am I still all right? If I am, why am I in the medbay?_ "I feel all right, thanks."

Leia took her friend's hand in her own and carefully rolled his sleeve up. When Luke looked down and promptly looked away in disgust, Leia gave it a gentle squeeze and rolled the sleeve back down.

"I had hoped it was all a bad dream." Luke felt sick.

"I'm sorry, Luke." Leia hugged her friend and they sat together in silence for a few moments. "At least you got away from Vader. Han wasn't so lucky."

"What?" this time, Luke really was sick. Luckily, Leia had a bucket ready for him.

"Are you all right, Luke?" she carefully patted his back to help him bring out what little food was in his stomach.

"No. No, I'm not all right! My father's murderer cut off my hand and stole one of my best friends! I'm not all right at all." He put his head in his hands and Leia gently pulled him against herself to comfort him.

After a few moments, Leia realized that she was crying too. As they sat side by side crying, Leia felt a flicker of something beyond anger and sadness coming off her friend. Hidden in his obvious pain was _annoyance_. Under the expected reaction, Luke had a sense like a child, caught up after their curfew.

"Luke?" Leia asked in confusion.

"I-I need sleep, Leia. I'm sorry. Maybe later." Luke pulled away from his friend and lay back down.

"Luke?" Leia asked one more time before he heard her leave.

Alone in his room, tears started to run down his cheeks. Luke lay still on his bed until he had cried himself to sleep.

"Luke?" Vader stared into his dream, searching for the boy he had met here before. Suddenly, Luke appeared out of the shadows.

"Luke!" Vader started to move towards his son, who was staring into the trees, but the boy's eyes focused on him and he started to run.

_No! I'm not ready to deal with this! I can't!_ Luke tried to run faster and felt tears running down his cheeks. He couldn't stand to see his father. Not after what he'd been through. Not after what Vader had told him. Not if it might be true.

Vader raced through the trees after Luke. He could feel pain from his son. He had hurt his child so badly that the boy couldn't bear to look at him. The boy was getting farther and farther away and Vader knew that he'd never catch his child. He couldn't stop trying, though, and he continued to try follow his baby.

At last, Luke vanished into the shadows. Vader continued to race towards where he'd seen his son last. He ran back into their clearing. The once-comforting surroundings, the waterfall, the trees, and the meadow, now seemed cold and empty.

The babbling brook seemed too loud, almost mocking of the silence that fell when Luke wasn't there to laugh with his father. The trees seemed to whisper that he was such a terrible person that even his son didn't love him. The flowers in the field reminded him of his wife, and how the boy he had scared and hurt so badly had been a part of her.

Vader turned away from the field and started into the trees. He knew he was crying. His wife was gone, his son was scared of him, and he had no hope of retrieving either of them if his son wouldn't even listen to him.

Vader woke shivering. As he stared into the dome of his meditation chamber, he tried to contact his son. For a moment the boy seemed almost to respond then he was gone. Vader probed the Force again, trying to contact the boy. Luke remained firmly silent.


	4. Chapter 4

For a while, Vader tried to find his son in dreams, but left him alone in the waking world. After a week, his son was broadcasting exhaustion into the Force and Vader knew that the boy hadn't let himself sleep since the dream.

Luke was sitting in on another dead-boring meeting of the High Council when his father's Force projected thought reached him.

_Luke? Luke, I realize that I scared you and I apologise. I never meant to hurt you. You have been depriving yourself of sleep and it allows me power over you. I thought it would interest you to know that I can see the meeting you are currently attending. If you allow yourself rest, you can rebuild your shields, but while you are so tired you are vulnerable. The Emperor can feel you, Luke, and neither of us wants that._

"Get out of my head!" Luke screamed. He had meant to send it just to his father, but Vader was right, he really was losing control.

The entire room became silent as the leaders of the Alliance stared at Luke. Leia jumped up immediately and ran to her friend's side.

"Luke, we have to get you out of here," she put one arm around her friend's shoulders and helped him to his feet.

"One moment, Princess, Skywalker is clearly a disturbed individual. Maybe he'd like to tell us exactly who is inside his head."

Leia spun to glare at Madine, her unspoken enemy, "How would you like us to push you into battle with Vader and see how you come out? And add the fact that you've been working him nonstop ever since! I doubt he's had more than twelve hours of sleep in the past week! Give him a rest, literally!" Leia helped her friend out of the room and back to his quarters.

She had meant to leave him alone once they got to his room, but something prompted her to continue through the motions she knew so well from babysitting, helping Luke into bed and tucking him in like a toddler.

Luke was tired enough not to care that Leia was treating him like a baby, in fact, he welcomed it. He curled under the blankets and let Leia stroke his hair, tears running down his cheeks.

"Vader didn't just hurt you physically, did he, Luke?" Leia continued her comforting.

Luke shook his head miserably, he didn't want to tell her what Vader had done to him.

Leia sensed her friend's need of privacy in this matter and stayed with him, silent, until he fell asleep. She started to stand then looked at his sleeping features. He looked very small, curled in a ball under the blankets, quite helpless, and it felt almost like a betrayal to leave him now. She sat back down beside him and stared at the wall, thinking.

Leia had started to drift off herself when Luke started to squirm and tears began to run down his cheeks.

"Luke? Luke, are you all right?" she asked, shaking him awake.

Luke awoke with a gasp of horror and Leia helped him sit up and rest his head on her shoulder. Leia just accepted her friend, gently rubbing his back and trying to calm him.

Luke sat back against the wall and tried to brush the tears from his eyes. He didn't really want Leia to see him cry, but he was glad that she didn't mind. It made him feel terrible about not telling her about Vader, and his father, and the potential link.

"I'm sorry, Leia. I wish I could tell you what Vader did to me, but I don't think I can."

Leia nodded in understanding, "I know. I don't like to think about what he did to me either."

_You think that you understand, Leia, I know you do. But you don't know what Vader told me. You have no idea how he tore everything apart for me. I just want everything to go back to the way it was._ "When I'm ready to talk about it, you'll be the first to know. I promise."

Luke had been dreaming about his father again. Vader, appearing as Anakin, had stood in their clearing and when Luke had joined him in the clearing, quite unintentionally, he had started to come towards his son. Luke had screamed and tried to get away. That was when Leia had woken him.

It had been a perfect repetition of the last dream, though, so Luke had a feeling that Vader had nothing to do with it.

"Thank you, Luke. You're wonderful. Don't let whatever Vader did to you scare you too much, it gives him power." Leia's words were disturbingly similar to Vader's.

Luke nodded again and rubbed the connection between his real arm and the prosthetic. Part of him wanted to see his father again and it scared him. Leia ran one hand down his back and he relaxed a bit.

"Are you hungry, Luke?"

"Yes. I'd rather not be seen right now though."

"I can take care of that," Leia stood and left her friend to curl back up under the blankets.

When Leia returned, Luke had gone back to sleep, so she left the food on his bedside table and left him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Luke blinked himself awake. The first thing he noticed was the smell of the food Leia had left him. The second thing was how hungry he was. He rolled over groggily to check the chrono._ No wonder I'm hungry. I just slept twenty hours straight! So why the heck am I still tired?_

He dragged himself into a sitting position and pulled the bowl of soup towards himself. As he ate, he thought again of his father, and of Vader. Despite the ever so faintly warm soup he shivered violently. _Everything is so wrong for me. Will thinking of my father ever make me feel warm and happy again? It always used to. I hope it will again._

And with those dreary thoughts, he found himself crying again. As he heard the door open, he wiped furiously at the tears, embarrassed by what would show as a mental breakdown._ Maybe it is a mental breakdown._ Then, with a grim smile,_ I wonder how Vader would like to hear that he's giving his son a mental breakdown. If he is my father, that is._

"Luke? Are you all right?"

Luke looked up into Leia's face, "I think I'm doing as well as could be expected at this point."

"Luke, I hate to agree with Madine…"

"I know you do," Luke interrupted in an attempt at playfulness.

Leia smiled weakly, "The fact is, Luke, you really don't seem to be very mentally stable."

"I'm sure I don't," Luke put the soup to one side, pulled his knees up to his chin, and hugged them miserably. "I'm not sure I am."

Leia sat on the bed beside her friend, sorry that she had made her friend doubt himself when he would have been able to make her feel better were their rolls reversed. "Luke, I'm not saying that I doubt you, but I think that it might be best for you to take a break from playing the hero, all right? Just let other people take care of themselves, and you."

"You know I'm not very good at that." Luke mumbled.

"Yes, I do. Just try, though, okay? If not for yourself, you can do it for me, can't you?" Leia smiled at her friend. He could usually be trusted to do what she asked.

"I'll do my best." Luke sighed quietly. Leia was probably right, he just didn't like to admit that he wasn't able to help right now.

"Luke, there is just one small problem." Leia said awkwardly.

Luke's head snapped up, "What?"

"Vader's here." Leia turned away.

"Force, no." Luke shivered.

"He's demanding to speak to you." Leia turned back to her friend, "I can understand if you don't want to."

"I have to, though, don't I? Who did he kidnap to threaten to make us do as he wants?" Luke put his head back on his knees.

"Us. He has all of us. He's cutting off any hope of getting supply ships through. He'll starve us all to death before he leaves. He says that all he wants is you, then he'll leave." Leia sighed and put one hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't even think about giving in."

"I won't. That would be a thousand times worse for us than starving. More than that, even." Luke shook his head.

"You won't? I thought you'd rush off right away." Leia smiled unsurely at her friend.

"Force, no."

"This has something to do with what he did to you, doesn't it?" Leia asked.

_I guess it's safe to tell her a bit of it. _"Yes. He wants me to train as a Sith."

Leia laughed, "You? Sorry, but I just can't see you as a Sith."

"I hope you never do." Luke said seriously.

"You're worried he might be able to make you train, aren't you?" Leia asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Yes. He knows how to get to me, Leia."

"How? He doesn't…" Leia shivered, "He doesn't have your father, does he?"

Luke tensed, "Leia, please, don't ask about those things, all right?"

"Sorry, of course, Luke." Leia nodded. When Luke didn't speak, she stood up and left the room. Luke picked the soup back up and started eating again, vaguely aware of it getting more and more salty as he cried into it.

When he was done, he reached into the Force, looking for Vader. _Vader?_

_Luke?_

_What do you want from me?_

_I need you to train as a Sith. Don't let your friends starve, my son. All you have to do is come out. Come to me and I'll let your friends go._

_For now, maybe. But once I'm with you, who's to say you won't just take them now?_

_There are many things that could be said about me, Luke, but I don't lie. If I say that I'll let your friends go, I will._

_I'm sorry, I can't._

_Then you must understand that I will have to keep this blockade._

_I suppose. Why did you come? When you told me that you could see that stupid meeting, I assumed you would just let it go as long as I slept._

_I would have liked to, my son, but as I told you, my master could sense you too. He knew that I would be able to see more than he could, so I had to do something! At least I was able to avoid telling him everything I saw. I'm glad you're getting more sleep._ Vader sent Luke a wash of gentle, tender love and Luke shivered violently.

_Don't do that. Look, if you are my father, then I'm sorry, I'm just not ready for this yet. I'm sorry. Just don't._

_Yes, Luke._

Luke could sense Vader's smile. _Hey, don't laugh at me!_

Vader's thought returned, still tinged with laughter._ I'm not laughing at you._

_That's not true. At least tell me the truth._

_Sorry, my son._

_Don't call me that. Don't try to call me. I won't respond._

Luke smiled a bit as he felt his father withdraw from the Force. He felt bad about it right away. It just wasn't in his nature to like to tell people that he didn't want them. Especially not if it might be his father.

He turned and put the bowl on the bedside table, thoroughly confused. Now that Vader might be his father, or might have killed his father. Now that he might hate Vader, or he might love him. Now that he couldn't know, he didn't understand anything anymore. Finally he gave up trying to understand himself and just curled back up, ignoring that it meant he was obeying Vader.


	6. Chapter 6

Almost two months later, Vader's blockade still stood.

Vader stared down at the rebel base. His son was down there somewhere. Hiding from him. Luke had been true to his word about not contacting his father again. His son would put trust in a group of outlaws before his father.

_This is all so wrong. Obi-Wan should have brought my son straight to me, back when he was born. This whole conflict could have been avoided. Luke wouldn't be scared of me, I wouldn't have hurt him._

_The Emperor should have let me use my own tactics to find the child. Back when Luke was still a baby and I was looking desperately for any proof that he was still alive. He stopped me. If he hadn't, Luke would be safe at home. I'm sorry, Luke. This isn't my fault, I swear it._

_Who do I think I'm kidding? I didn't try hard enough, I let my master tell me not to look for my child. Obi-Wan knew what I would do with Luke if I'd found him, or he thought he did, I'm sure. He probably thought I would only be interested in training my boy. Well, he was wrong._

_I'm sorry, Luke. This is all my fault. You deserve better. I'm sorry. I love you._

An officer walked up from behind Vader and he turned.

"My Lord, a small rebel ship is trying to penetrate the barrier."

"From the Rebel's side?" Vader asked.

"No, Sir, it seems that they must have slipped past. They are on their way back, presumably a supply ship."

"Bring the crew to me." Vader snapped. "No, I'll come and meet them."

"Yes, Sir. We'll bring them into bay 147."

Vader nodded. He walked towards the bay, trying to quell a pathetic surge of hope that his son might be on board. He arrived at the bay before the tractor beam had finished drawing the ship in. He waited, in his best imitation of patience. He could sense the fear of the crew, and that his son was not among them.

The ship alighted on the deck and Vader strode into the bay. The rebels had already given up and they opened the boarding ramp. Vader walked up the ramp. Standing in the bay, ready to surrender, were four crew members.

"Where is your captain?" He snapped.

A timid looking man raised one hand, "That's me, Sir."

"What are you transporting?"

"Just food. No weapons, I swear."

"How bad is the situation?" Vader asked, conscious that his son was a part of the answer.

"Pretty bad. Several are about to starve. That was before I left. Children have stopped playing." The last came with a small sob and Vader decided that one of the children was probably the captain's.

He longed to ask about his son, but he knew that Luke would be angry, and hurt. "Go back to the planet. Take your shipment. Don't expect it to happen again."

The captain stared, incredulous, "Yes, Sir."

Vader left the shuttle. He longed to actually let the shuttle reach the ground, to take food to his son, but he couldn't let it.

"Shoot that shuttle before they can send a message."

The shuttle exploded. Vader tried not to think that the captain had had a child. He tried not to think that the little boy or girl would be looking up at the shuttle, hoping it was their Daddy, that they would see the Daddy die. He tried not to think that the wife would feel the way he had when he'd lost Padme. He forced himself not to think that that was only the pain the death that one of the four would bring.

He walked back through the ship to his own quarters. He sat in the meditation dome and sank into the Dark Side.


	7. Chapter 7

Luke curled tighter in the hospital. The hunger pains were far worse today than they had been yesterday. It was a vicious circle. Every day, he thought he'd reached as hungry as he could possibly get, and every day, he was proven wrong.

He let out another whimper that was largely ignored. He wasn't the only one starving. He was just the one in the most pain. He had started refusing to eat when his father had started his blockade. His thoughts were that Vader would eventually sense his pain. He would keep it bottled up for as long as possible so that when it finally broke the barriers it would hit his father hard.

That day might be today. He was weak. An IV was all that kept him alive. He was in a lot of pain. He was angry with his father for not letting that ship through the blockade. He wanted to talk to his father.

Luke had found it harder and harder to sleep as he'd become more and more physically and mentally tormented. Finally, though, he forced himself into sleep. That was the way to show his father what his blockade was doing.

He didn't seek their clearing. He didn't want a reminder of everything he'd thought he'd had. Instead, he pictured a very bare cell, where he'd been kept the last time the Empire had captured him. Then he called his father.

He would have liked to believe that he had been able to just tell his father that he wanted to talk to him. He would have liked to believe that he was strong enough. But he didn't, and he wasn't.

"Father! Father, are you there? I need you!" _Well, I would have liked him to believe I can hold myself together better than that, but I suppose acting like a needy five year old will get his attention._

"Luke? Is that you?" Vader opened the door to the cell. He came to his son and sat down.

"Father…" Luke managed to whimper.

"Luke, how did this happen?" Vader carefully put one hand under his son's chin. He tipped the boy's chin so the child could see him properly.

"You cut off food supplies." Luke moaned softly.

Vader carefully moved his son's thin body onto his lap. Luke whimpered a bit and wrapped his arms tight around his father's neck. "I haven't restricted them for long enough to have you in this state, have I?"

"I knew that you would let everyone else starve, but I hoped that you would let food get through if I starved myself."

"Luke…" Vader broke off. What could he possibly say to his son? He was starving him. "I'm sorry." The words sounded very small and pathetic.

"Please, let at least a bit of food through your blockade." Luke looked up at his father, his blue eyes standing out against his sunken cheeks.

"I can't, Luke." Vader touched his son's cheek carefully. The child closed his eyes and rested his head against his father's chest.

"Why are you here? When you warned me about not getting enough sleep I thought you wanted to protect me. Why would you use the information you were warning me against giving you?"

"I told you, my master could sense you too. He knew that I would be able to sense you even more, even your location. We're just lucky he didn't know that I heard all those battle plans and potential bases."

"I didn't know you heard all of that." Luke shivered. He did not like having Darth Vader able to look into his mind, and see through his eyes. Vader seemed willing to keep the secrets, but Luke would have to tell someone that Vader had got his hands on that information so it could be changed.

"You were very weak. I could probably have made you do anything I wanted. Don't feel like this is your fault, it's not. If I can think of an excuse to protect you, or to let your friends get food to you, I will take action on it. I promise."

"That might not be enough. I'm not eating until you let food get through. I swear I won't."

Vader froze for a moment. What could he possibly do? How could he get himself away from the blockade that was slowly and painfully killing his son?

"Do you know how I can get myself out of here, then? If you can think of a way to explain to my master why I'm not upholding the blockade, I'll do it."

"Why is it so important that Palpatine be happy? I know that when he's angry he kills, but so is this blockade!"

"He would kill far more people than the blockade, I think." Vader cradled his son close.

Luke nodded slightly. "I see."

It suddenly occurred to Vader what that might have sounded like to the young man. "Luke, don't take that wrong, you're far more important to me than they are. Far, far more important."

"I shouldn't be. Your men should be worth more than I am."

"Are you asking me not to love you? I thought you wanted love. I thought everyone wanted love."

"Father, I do want love, but this is ridiculous. You have one foot in each world. The Empire is important enough that you're not treating me as a son, but I'm important enough to you that you're not treating the Empire as a commander should. I have to say that I wonder what you would chose if you had to kill me or end the Empire. Living like this isn't really serving anyone. Not even you."

Vader didn't know how to respond to that. He supposed his son was right, but the child couldn't understand. Not completely. If he tried to make the boy see, he would be telling the boy all kinds of things he didn't want to hear. He would have to explain Obi-Wan's betrayal, Palpatine's once-fatherly persona, and how, in a way, Vader felt that leaving the Empire, the Sith, would betray Luke's mother yet again.

She had died because he joined the Dark Side, and if he turned back to the light, her sacrifice would have been for nothing. Nothing would have changed for it. He would have lost his wife pointlessly. As long as he was one with the Dark Side, her death would be remembered.

"Luke. How should I end this, then?"

"Just end it. Just tell your men that it's over. Tell them it's over, and come back here for me. Please, come back for me. I need you, Father. I really, really need you."

Vader felt a shiver run up his spine as his son clutched at him. The boy needed him. A young aspiring Jedi was willing to crawl into his arms and say that he _needed_ him! Turning him away wasn't an option anymore. Killing him certainly wasn't.

"I'll come down for you, Luke. Eat, all right? You need your strength. You'll need a lot of it. My master will be after us as soon as he realizes that I'm gone."

Luke looked up at his father, his eagerness fuelling him, and nodded eagerly.

"All right, then. I'm going to put you back down and wake myself up. You wake yourself up too, okay?"

"Okay!" Luke smiled widely.

Vader gave his son a smile the boy couldn't see and woke himself up.


	8. Chapter 8

Leia bent over her friend's bed.

"Luke… Luke!" She shook his shoulder gently. He didn't stir.

She shook him again. Still, he didn't move. She kept shaking him, producing the same results, until she was crying.

"Luke, wake up. Please. I'm begging you, Luke. I need you. Luke… Are you even alive in there?" Leia stopped shaking him and watched to see his chest rising and falling far too quickly.

"Luke, you have to wake up…" This time, she didn't really expect an answer. She didn't get one either.

"Princess!" A rebel Leia didn't know by name ran up behind her. "Princess, the Imperial fleet is breaking up! We can get through their blockade, but Vader has come down. He's demanding to see Commander Skywalker."

Leia looked back at her friend's prone form. "Did he say what he wants with Luke?"

"No, Ma'am."

"I better see what it is, then." Leia gave her friend's limp hand a quick squeeze and turned to go.

The rebel led her through several corridors, walking in perfect silence. Finally, Vader's harsh breathing permeated the air and Leia found herself shivering. Shaking it off, she marched out into the next hall to face the man who scared her more than anything else.

"Vader," she said, giving him her best glare.

"Princess, where is Skywalker?" Vader, as usual, didn't waste any time getting to the point.

"He's not available." Leia snapped.

"Where is he?"

"That is none of your concern, Sith."

"It is. Where is my son?" Vader was remaining far, far calmer than he usually would have. It was forced, but it came more easily than he would have guessed it would.

"What did you just say?" Leia stared at Vader, incredulous.

"Where is Luke? Where is my son?" Deep down, Vader was hurt. After the dream they had shared, he had thought that Luke would have told his friends.

"Luke can't see anyone right now." Leia said, trying to ignore Vader's claim.

"What do you mean he can't see anyone?" Vader asked.

"He's unconscious. I couldn't wake him up." Leia said as bravely as she could. But even she couldn't hide a small crack in her voice.

"What do you mean you couldn't wake him up?" Vader's heart was now in his throat.

"I shook him and practically screamed in his ear. He can't wake up!" Leia wrapped her arms around herself.

"Where is he? I have to see him." Vader said. He reached out in the Force and felt his son's fear. He tried to speak into his son's mind, but the young boy didn't respond. Vader felt like his son hadn't got his message either.

"I can't take you into the hospital! I'm not that stupid! I would be letting you in on all the weakest members of the Alliance."

"I have to see my son." Vader said, as calmly as he could.

"Luke is not your son." Leia shook her head fiercely.

"He is my son, and I must see him." Vader pushed past Leia.

"He's my best friend, and he's too sick to see anyone." Leia said, marching alongside Vader. "I can't allow you into the hospital."

Vader stopped, defeated. "Please. I just want to see my only remaining family member. I lost his mother, please at least let me see him. He's all I have left."

Leia stared at Vader, shocked by his sudden docility and… admitting his weaknesses. It was unheard of. "Follow me. I'll take you to a cell and bring Luke to you." She fully expected him to refuse, but he just followed.

Vader closed his eyes, letting the Force guide him so he didn't walk into anything. His thoughts were cold, uncomforting. _Luke is unconscious. The princess says she couldn't wake him. Would she lie about that? What have I done? My baby is too weak to even wake up._

Leia led him into a cell, took his saber, and locked the door. Vader sat on the bare bench and closed his eyes, resting his head on the wall.

Soon, Leia was back. A medical aide pushed a gurney which Luke lay on, his hair fanning over the pillow.

Vader stood and walked to his son's side. He reached out and stroked his son's cheek. The black of his glove was at a huge contrast with Luke's pale skin.

The medic looked at Leia and she nodded unsurely. Then they left.

Vader gathered his son in his arms. The boy's thin body was limp in his father's arms.

"Luke?" Vader asked. There was no reaction from his little boy. "I did what you asked, Luke. I left the Empire. Your friends can get food now. Some of my men defaulted to the Alliance. The entire 501st is on their way. Wake up, Luke. Please wake up…"

Again, Luke didn't respond. Vader sat back on the bench. He placed his son's thin body on his lap and rested the child's head on his shoulder. For a moment, he thought a tremor passed through his son, but after freezing, and waiting for five minutes, he had to admit that he had probably imagined it.

Luke's body seemed too small, his skin too pale. This was not what Vader had had in mind. With his turn from the Dark Side, Luke was supposed to come to him, be his baby. But instead, Luke was in a coma. Small and too weak even to wake up, his son was practically dead.

Returning to his son was supposed to fix everything. It was hard to admit, even to himself, that on the flight to the Alliance, he had been daydreaming. It had been a wonderful dream. He and his son, united as he'd hoped, sailing through the skies, learning from one another, just being together. Happy. And now it was clear that it wouldn't be that simple.

Now it was clear it might not even happen.

Vader... no, Anakin, looked back down at his son. Luke's mouth was open slightly, and his father was forcibly reminded of his age. Still young, still little more than a boy. Anakin carefully closed his son's mouth and just sat still, holding him, guilty thought after guilty thought running through his head.

Finally, Leia and the medic returned. Anakin reluctantly replaced his son on the hospital gurney. The medic took the small body away and left Anakin and Leia staring at each other.

"You really do care about him." Leia said, stunned.

"I do." Anakin nodded. "I suppose you were watching us on a hidden cam?"

"Yes. It didn't seem wise to leave you alone with him while there's still hope." Leia tried to make her voice cold and failed.

"I wouldn't hurt him. What happened to him? If there's anything I can do, I'll do it." Anakin stood up.

"The most you can do is stay here. We would have to be suicidal to let you out."

Anakin nodded and sat down again. That was fair. The princess had no reason to believe his intentions were good.

Leia started to leave, and then turned back to the Dark Lord, who sat quietly on the bench.

"I'll bring Luke down daily, if you like."

Anakin (or Vader, as she perceived him) looked up at her and she had the strangest feeling that he was smiling. "I'd like that very much, thank you."

She left the cell and started back up the stairs, out of Anakin's line of view. Anakin slid down onto the floor and stared around his new home. Nothing was registering. His son was in a coma, he might never wake up, and, unless he was much mistaken, he had just been visited by Padme reincarnate. Twice.


	9. Chapter 9

Finally, Anakin slept. Again, he was called to the small, dark cell. And his son still sat in the corner. When Luke heard his father coming, his wide eyes opened and he stared frantically at the older man.

"Father! Help! I can't wake up! I can't leave this dream."

Anakin opened the cell again and sat beside his son. He gathered the small boy and held him close. "It's okay, Luke. They're working on it. I'm sure your friends will have you awake again in no time."

Luke shivered and pulled himself closer to his father. "I hope you're right."

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then, "I'm scared, Father."

Anakin looked down at his son, who was suddenly looking up at him with wide, watery eyes. "I'm sorry, Luke. I thought that going back would make everything better again."

Luke sniffled. "So did I."

"I'm sorry, Luke."

"It's my fault." Luke closed his eyes and started to cry. "I should have told you sooner. If I had, this might not have happened. I want to wake up!"

Anakin wrapped his arms tightly around his son. "Luke, this is not your fault. You have done your part as a Jedi, as a son, by getting me back from the Dark Side. It's me who failed, as a father. I should have been there for you all along, but I wasn't. Let's not play the blame game, all right?"

Luke nodded, "Sorry."

"Don't _do_ that!" Anakin gave his son a gentle shake and the boy laughed quietly.

"Apologise?"

"Yeah." Anakin smiled, and became quiet again.

"Father?"

"Yes, Luke?"

"I had a hard time calling you tonight. I almost couldn't do it. I think I'm too weak to do it again. What is happening to you back at base?"

"Absolutely nothing. They don't trust me, so they're keeping me in a cell. It's fair. Do you want me do stay with you?"

Luke nodded silently. Anakin rested his head on the wall and kept his arms around his son. After a short time, both of them tired of sitting together, silent.

"Tell me about yourself." Anakin said, looking down at his son.

Luke blinked up at his father in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean tell me who you are. Tell me about growing up on Tatooine, tell me about you. I've missed a lot."

Luke closed his eyes, mentally taking himself back to the farm. "I have no idea what you know."

"I know hardly anything about you. I just know that you were raised by my step brother and his wife."

"Step brother? I thought Uncle Owen was your blood brother."

Anakin shook his head, "No. I don't think either one of us was all that thrilled about having a step brother either. We hardly knew each other."

"That explains his reluctance to tell me anything about you. Sometimes I almost thought he hated you."

Anakin felt his heart rise into his throat in his worry. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, but he was never there when I needed him, and he never understood me. He wasn't unkind on purpose, though. Just strict."

"Was Beru any better?"

Luke nodded. "Uncle Owen didn't like her to be too… affectionate with me, though. His basic way of dealing with nightmares was something along the lines of 'Go back to bed, Luke. There is no such thing as monsters'"

"Monsters do exist, but the space under beds isn't enough for most of them."

Luke smiled, "I know."

"Even if a monster could fit under a bed it wouldn't dare hurt you. Not with what I would do to it." Anakin playfully mussed his son's hair.

Luke giggled and slipped out of his father's way. Then his father's words really hit him and he found himself crying softly.

Anakin looked down at his son's tear streaked face and kissed one of the tears away. Luke giggled helplessly again and Anakin smiled.

"That's better. Don't look so sad, alright?"

Luke grinned cheekily, "Sorry."

This earned a gentle whack from his father. They smiled at one another for another moment, and then fell silent again.

After a few minutes, Luke closed his eyes and rested his head on his father's chest. Anakin automatically started rubbing his son's back.

"Is there some kind of equivalent to sleep when you're stuck in a dream this long?" Anakin asked curiously.

"No. All I can do is sit here, bored." Luke sighed noisily.

"That's a pain." Anakin smiled sympathetically.

Luke shook his head, "You have no idea."

"I want to do something."

"What?"

"Anything, anything at all."

"I don't doubt it. I take it you got my patience."

Luke smiled up at his father, "So I can blame you for that?"

"Yes, but telling Yoda that it's my fault would be a bad idea. Been there, tried that, got the biggest lecture of my life."

"Really?"

"No. He would lecture you like mad though." Anakin smiled at his son.

"Yeah, he's good at that."

"Don't I know it."

Luke was suddenly overcome with a need to cling to his father. As his arms wrapped around Anakin's neck, Anakin reacted first with confusion, then he accepted it. Still unsure about what his son was doing, he held the boy.

Sniffles and small sobs came from the child, and Anakin decided that his son was probably just as confused as he was. It was simple enough to hold the boy, but Anakin felt powerless to help his son.

Finally, Luke pulled away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"Luke?"

He shook his head miserably. When their eyes met, Anakin's heart melted. Luke's eyes were still full of tears, and they were clearly ready to spill out at any time.

"It's okay, Luke. I promise you, it will be all right. I promise." He repeated.

Luke nodded shakily, still not trusting himself to speak.

Anakin drew him close again. Just before Luke's face was effectively buried against his father, Anakin saw the tears start once again to run down his cheeks.

"It's all right, Luke. I won't let anything hurt you. Ever, ever again. I love you. I really, really love you. Don't cry. It will be all right. If it's not all right on its own, I will make it all right."

"I know. I know you will. I just-it's just… I don't know. Something hurts." Luke clung tighter.

"Physically? Or is it something else?" Anakin rubbed his son's back carefully.

"I don't know what it is, not physical. Something just… it's not even as simple as pain; it's just making me cry."

"Then I take it back. Go ahead and cry if you need to. Let it out. I know it hurts, but I think you'll feel better afterwards."

Luke sniffled again. It was all the response he could muster.

Anakin didn't disturb his son again. The boy cried helplessly for a long time, and Anakin suddenly realized that he had no idea how long he had been asleep. There was no way of telling time in the stark, bare cell.

"Do you think if I changed the dream to our clearing you would be able to come with me?"

Luke looked up, somewhat confused. "What?"

"At the Temple, we learned a bit of dream control. Me especially, I always had problems with nightmares, although I refused to accept that. Some were visions, but most weren't. Or maybe they were, and I somehow managed to change the future so they didn't happen. Anyway, I can take myself to our clearing, and I imagine that I could take you too."

"Please try." Luke nodded.

Anakin closed his eyes, wrapped his arms tighter around his son and changed the dream. He was glad to open his eyes to find his son still in his arms. To make sure he hadn't just replicated his son, making a dream-clone, he asked, "Did it work?"

The boy blinked up at him with dull eyes, "Did what work?"

Anakin swore out loud and a sparkle appeared in the boy's eyes as he laughed.

"That was uncalled for."

"Too late to take it back, though, isn't it?" Luke gave his father one of the cheeky grins that drove him crazy, but warmed his heart.

"Yeah, I guess it is. Up you get." Anakin stood and pulled his son to his feet.

Luke immediately fell back down. "Father, I'm still weak, even in the dream. I can't practice with our lightsabers right now."

"Oh, right of course." Anakin bent over and carried his son over to the stream. Putting his son on a rock beside the bank, he carefully let the boy's feet dangle in the cool water.

Much to his surprise, Luke gasped and vanished.

"Luke? Luke, are you still there? This isn't funny. Luke? Luke, if you don't show yourself by the time I could to five, I will leave the dream. One. Two. Three," Something yanked Anakin out of the dream.

"Father! You woke me up!" Luke was standing over his father, eyes wide and happy.

"How is it that you have this kind of energy now that you're awake, but still starved?" Anakin asked groggily.

"You know that I'm kneeling, and about to fall on you, don't you?" Luke asked, just as he did fall.

Anakin caught him and sat up. "No, I didn't know that."

"Well, I was." Luke said.

Glancing over his son's head, he saw Leia. She was watching and when she caught Anakin's eye, she rolled her eyes.

"He insisted on being brought right down. I suppose we have some proof that you're on our side now."

Luke smiled at his father. "Thank you, Father."

Anakin didn't respond to either comment except to hug his son tighter. It occurred to him that his son should get back to the hospital as quickly as possible and stood up.

"Would you take Luke back to the hospital?" He asked, careful not to ask if he could come, despite the fact that he held Luke.

"Of course, follow me." Leia walked back out of the cell and led Anakin up the nearest set of stairs.

In his father's arms, Luke's weak body became limp. Anakin carefully gathered his son tighter, and then moved him so that he effectively sat on his father's hip, like a toddler being carried by a babysitter.

When they reached the hospital, Luke was asleep. Anakin rested him on his bed, and sat beside him, ready to wait with him.

Leia looked doubtfully at Anakin. "Would you be offended if I told you that I would feel much safer if you were locked up?"

Anakin smiled under his mask. "No. Would you be scared if I told you that I could get out of just about anything?"

"A little bit." She conceded. "It would be comforting for everyone anyway, I think."

"If you want to." Anakin held out one arm to be chained.

Leia blinked in surprise, then locked him to the bed, which was firmly attached to the floor. "We never know when we might get a prisoner who needs medical treatment. And our mission isn't to torture and kill all our prisoners." She added, giving Anakin an entirely deserved glare.

"I apologise. I swear it wouldn't happen again."

Leia didn't respond, just turned to leave. Anakin watched her go, then returned his attention to his sleeping son.


	10. Chapter 10

Anakin sat beside his son, bored, until the boy stirred again.

"Luke?"

Luke rolled over in his sleep. Anakin sighed softly. One of Luke's hands started to move in his sleep, opening and closing slowly. Anakin wrapped his hand around the boy's smaller extremity, and Luke woke up.

"Father?"

"Force, I am glad to see you awake."

Luke smiled and rested his head on his pillow again. Anakin smiled back at him and gently caressed his hand. The boy yawned hugely. Anakin laughed sickly, the sound distorted by his mask. Luke glanced up at his father in concern and Anakin shook his head.

"I'm all right, Luke."

Luke realized what the sound had been and laughed himself. "That's what it sounds like when you _laugh_?"

Anakin smiled, "You should hear what it sounded like before my body realized that sneezing was pointless."

Luke imagined it automatically and laughed harder. "That must have been ridiculous."

"Believe me, it was." Anakin put his hand on his son's chest. Luke closed his eyes, and rolled closer to his father.

Anakin didn't really want his son to sleep, but he knew that the boy needed it. He just knew that he didn't want to be left alone. Safely snuggled against Anakin, Luke started to breathe more slowly.

"That's it, Luke. Sleep now, I'll take care of you." Anakin smiled to himself as Luke nodded sleepily.

Soon Anakin was alone again, with only his son's soft snores to keep him company. He was surprised when Leia joined him.

"Hello, Princess." He said coolly.

"Lord Vader." She gave a curt nod and sat on the opposite side of the bed.

Anakin sat silently, wondering if he should ask her to call him Anakin instead. By the time he'd made up his mind, the moment was past.

"Leia," he faltered.

"What do you need?" Leia looked up from stroking her friend's hair.

"I'm not Vader anymore."

"Oh, really?" Leia raised one eyebrow.

"My name is Anakin. As I'm sure Luke's told you."

"He has mentioned you."

"That sounded almost sarcastic." Anakin said questioningly.

"Ever since I met Luke, he has spoken of you… almost like some kind of god."

Anakin laughed again, "I'm no god."

Leia almost smiled, in spite of herself, "Oh, I know. But explaining that to Luke might be a bit of an ordeal."

"I know. I've tried."

"He hasn't been awake for long enough for you to put an honest attempt into convincing him of that."

"You know that Luke is training to be a Jedi, don't you?"

"I suppose. What does that have to do with anything?"

"We have… a bond. We are family, and we are the only family either one of us has left. I've been meeting Luke in dreams for years."

Leia shook her head, "I'm not that stupid. You just want to make me seem like an idiot. I hope you don't honestly believe that women are inferior to men, because it's not true!"

Anakin was almost offended, but he knew that his actions as a part of the Empire had confirmed her suspicions. "I honestly have. You can ask Luke when he wakes up."

"Maybe I will," Leia snapped.

Anakin sighed. He would have liked to speak to Leia more, if only to kill the boredom. Instead, she sat in stony silence, carefully surveying Luke's thin body. Anakin returned to the pastime of trying to imagine a perfect life with his son.

As Leia moved to stand up, Luke awoke.

"Leia?"

"I'm here, Luke."

"Oh, good. I'm glad to see you."

Leia smiled slightly crookedly, "Your eyes aren't even open enough to see me." She sat back down.

Luke nodded sleepily and dragged himself up the pillow. He almost fell back down, but Anakin caught him. Leia stared at him.

Luke snuggled against his father so that he was looking at Leia. "Were you guys talking?"

"Sort of," Anakin said softly.

"I hate to disappoint you, but I don't think we're going to get along." Leia added.

"Oh," Luke looked a bit put out, and rested against his father, safe in the crook of his arm.

"I'll do my best for you, as long as Vader makes the same promise."

"His name is Anakin," Luke protested.

"If you insist. In that case, as long as your father makes the same promise."

"I promise." Anakin said simply.

Luke yawned again, "I hate being this tired."

Leia did laugh; now that her friend was awake, it seemed all right to do so. Anakin smiled quietly and wrapped his arm tighter around his son.

"You'll be over it soon." Anakin promised.

"Oh, I hope so. I just want to be back to normal."

Anakin nodded. Leia stood finally. "Just take care of yourself, Luke. I think you'll be okay sooner or later."

Luke watched her leave and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. "Why can't I just be back to normal?"

Anakin had no answer for the question, so he simply gave his son another squeeze. "How are you adjusting to your new hand?"

Luke laughed, "You seem disturbingly comfortable saying that."

"One grows used to it."

"What do you mean? You've had other kids whose hands you've… removed?"

"No, that's not what I mean at all. I meant that I've had both of my own hands removed. You're an only child."

"Good." Luke nodded.

"Why?"

"Getting used to having a father is plenty for one time. I don't think I could cope with finding out that I have a sibling. Anyway, I want your attention. Childish as I now realize that it sounds." Luke rolled his eyes with the last.

"I understand, Luke. Don't worry."

"After everything I've trusted you with, I don't think that would worry me."

"That's a definitely valid point."

"Father? Would you be offended if I went back to sleep now?"

"Of course not. Sleep," Anakin stroked his son's forehead and Luke curled up in a ball. Safe and warm, Luke fell asleep quite quickly.


End file.
